In brief
On October 31, families detained under El Salvador’s state of exception met at the Metropolitan Cathedral to offer flowers and demand fair trials for remaining detainees. The protest highlighted a death toll of 454 within prisons, underscored by unanswered questions about the whereabouts of many still in custody. The event, held on the solemn Day of the Dead, reflected deep concerns about contact, transparency, and possible further deaths in state‑of‑exception camps.
On Saturday, October 31, relatives of people held under El Salvador’s state of exception converged at the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Salvador to lay flowers on the tomb of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero and to demand justice for the 454 inmates who have reportedly died in custody, according to Reuters. The gathering used the observances of Day of the Dead, seen across Latin America on November 1 and 2, to remember those lost and to press for fair trials for detainees who remain imprisoned.
The state of exception, imposed by President Nayib Bukele four years ago, has granted security forces the power to detain more than 90,000 people. Human rights organization Cristostal has documented 454 deaths in Salvadoran prisons among people detained under the state of exception. Many families have had no contact with their loved ones since arrest, and some do not know whether those relatives are still alive.
The demonstrators carried yellow and red flowers, banners, and photographs of jailed family members. Inside the cathedral, they knelt in prayer around Romero’s grave before moving to the steps where they held a rally. While honoring the dead, attendees also sought answers about relatives who remain detained, expressing unease over the lack of information and the continued use of incommunicado detention.
Among the participants was Natalia Funes, 61, a farmer from Puerto El Triunfo in Usulutan’s eastern province. She sought information on her son, Oscar Orlando Rodriguez, who was arrested in July 2022 and has been held incommunicado since. Funes joined the candlelight offering in hopes that the protest would prompt a release of details about her son’s status, as she had not heard from him or the authorities in months.
The protest also highlighted the suffering of broader families. Liliana Urias, 44, spokeswoman for the Mothers for Freedom movement, said her organization had members who had lost a son, a brother—or the father of their children—during the period of heightened security. Protesters marked the day with personal stories, chanting for transparency and condemning the regime’s insistence on secrecy.
Urias called for accountability and expressed grief over “the innocent people who have died under the state of exception.”
“We are here in memory of all the innocent people who have died under the state of exception.”
Following the rally, many families voiced fear that their loved ones could become another unrecorded statistic. They urged authorities to provide statements to families, to allow visits, and to give “clear updates” on the health and location of incarcerated relatives.
As the movement grows, only a few answers have emerged. The state of exception remains in place, the death toll is still being verified, and the whereabouts of 90,000+ detained individuals remain largely unknown. Families continue to demand—through flares, flowers, and public shaming—the means of fair trials for the remaining detainees and transparent accountability for the justice system.
